PM approves electricity projects for Gwadar, GB
ISLAMABAD
Approval has been accorded by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to electricity projects for Gwadar and Gilgit-Baltistan.
A review meeting on ongoing reforms in power sector was held here under PM Monday.
The PM approved immediate implementation of comprehensive project to address the problems being faced in supply of electricity to Gwadar Port City.
He held all the relevant departments should work in uniformity on the projects for uninterrupted supply of electricity to Gwadar Port city.
The Prime Minister emphasized that a 100 MW solar project in Gilgit-Baltistan should ensure uninterrupted and stable supply of environmentally clean electricity. He instructed that the implementation of the solar project should begin immediately.
PM said welfare and economic development of people of Gilgit-Baltistan is among top priorities of federal government. All possible steps are being taken for industrial activities, Investment and economic growth in Gilgit.
Committee set up under Ahsan Iqbal to address the electricity related problems and recommendations and steps of ministry of energy are laudable.
Ministry of energy should ensure implementation of long term and short term projects included in evolved comprehensive strategy.
Minister for energy told during the briefing disruption of supply of electricity has already been reduced by 42 percent in Gwadar due to immediate measures by ministry of energy.
Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, briefing the meeting, said that due to the ministry’s prompt actions, power supply disruptions in Gwadar had already been reduced by 42%.
After resolving outages, a comprehensive plan has also been prepared to stabilize the voltage of supplied electricity in Gwadar within the next six months, the minister said adding that effective and productive steps were being taken to ensure electricity supply to domestic and commercial consumers in Gwadar.
Among short-term projects, 9.7 megawatts of solar capacity will be installed in major government institutions within the next 8 to 12 months, while in the long-term projects for Gwadar, a 40-megawatt project will be installed to ensure sustainable power supply.
The meeting was informed that due to ongoing industrial and economic development, expansion of Gwadar Port, and growth in urban areas, electricity demand in Gwadar was expected to increase by 30% in the coming years.
The 100-megawatt solar project in Gilgit-Baltistan consists of two components: an 18-megawatt rooftop solar program and an 82-megawatt utility-scale solar project.
The rooftop and utility-scale solar projects in Gilgit-Baltistan will be completed by 2027, the briefing said adding that joint projects between the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan and the Ministry of Energy will save the government Rs 1 billion annually.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervez Malik, and other relevant government officials attended the meeting .
The government of Gilgit-Baltistan will ensure timely provision of land, communications, infrastructure, and other facilities for the electricity projects, the briefing added.
